It's a really common experience.
When you move in,
you move in with a family of rats.
And then on the way out
they're running their fingers on the skirting boards,
just checking for the most minute detail.
That's Stephen, and he recently moved out of a rental.
They had all the power in that situation.
They had the keys.
We couldn't actually go back in and dispute it.
Look, it's a common experience for renters.
But today, we're going to look at
how clean a rental property really needs to be,
and what you need to know to get your bond back.
The rules around rentals are different
in each state and territory,
but when it comes to cleaning
the standards are largely the same.
The key thing is that a property
is left reasonably clean.
That doesn't mean good as new,
and what's reasonable depends on the condition of the rental
when you moved in.
If, like Stephen, you moved into a rat-infested house,
it would be unreasonable to expect
that you return it after your lease
in much better condition.
So here's my tip,
which is really just common sense.
Take lots of photos when you move in.
(camera shutter clicking)
Photos are a great way to document
the condition of the property,
and along with a condition report,
they'll be relied on
if there are any disputes down the track.
It's a lesson Stephen learned the hard way.
So when we moved out
we used their end-of-lease cleaners,
and on top of that they also wanted us
to get the carpets steam-cleaned as well.
And then once we handed the keys back,
they said that they found wear and tear on the walls
that we also had to cover the cost of.
So in the end it ended up being a pretty significant chunk
of the bond.
As a renter you aren't liable
for wear and tear,
but you are liable
for any damage you cause to the property.
If you've chipped paint
because you used a picture hook, that's damage.
But if the carpet's a bit more worn down
than when you moved in, that's wear and tear.
Here's the full definition of wear and tear
from Fair Trading New South Wales.
This could be news to you,
but you might not need a professional cleaner
to meet the reasonably clean standard.
In my time renting in Sydney,
I've probably had three end-of-lease cleans,
so that's at least a thousand, really,
that I could have saved.
That's a lot of money,
but in New South Wales
clauses demanding professional carpet cleaning
are prohibited, unless you have a pet.
The rules are different in other states and territories.
Sometimes carpet cleaning clauses are enforceable,
sometimes they aren't.
If you're in doubt,
check with your local Tenants' Advice Service.
We'll show you how at the end of the video.
After what happened,
it does really make me distrust real estate
and what they do with your money and with your bond.
Because Stephen lives in New South Wales,
he could have applied to have the bond refunded himself.
If he did,
the agent would have 14 days to settle or contest the claim.
If they didn't respond in time,
he would've got all his bond back.
If I knew I could get the bond back independently,
without the real estate,
then, yeah, I would definitely be doing that.
You really do feel hostage,
and like they have all the power,
so it would just completely flip the power dynamic
to already have access to that
before they grant you the access.
Again, the rules are different,
depending on where you live.
In Victoria, for instance, tenants don't have this option.
Wherever you live,
if you're worried about getting your bond back,
or there's a disagreement,
it's a good idea
to contact your local Tenants' Advice Service.
They can give you free advice and information
about your rights.
So finding out what my rights are
as a tenant going forward,
it just puts you in a whole different position.
It's a whole different game now going forward.
Like, game on, real estate!